While Rhea Pillai sought an exemption from the court appearance, Leander Paes was present

Mumbai: Leander Paes has been called an absentee father by his estranged partner Rhea Pillai, but he wasn't the only missing figure causing her grief. It turns out Pillai's lawyers left out a 'zero' in her court petition for compensation for domestic violence, bringing her demand down from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 lakh.

Pillai's lawyers brought up the matter of the missing zero yesterday, when her domestic violence case against Paes was up for hearing at the Bandra Magistrate Court.

Leander with his father Dr Vece Paes at the Bandra court yesterday.

During the hearing, her lawyers Gunjan Mangla and Amna Usman, from the chambers of Mahesh Jethmalani, informed court that they had left out one zero in the compensation amount that Pillai was demanding. Mangla told Magistrate R S Sarkale that Pillai was seeking Rs 1 crore in damages for the alleged domestic violence, but because of their mistake, the amount stated in the interim application is merely Rs 10 lakh.

Sources said, however, that the original suit stated R1 crore as the damages sought.

Flashback

The domestic violence case was filed in 2014, but it was only this July that the Supreme Court ordered the Mumbai court to decide the matter within six months. Pillai's lawyers made the error in an interim application filed to seek compensation until the case is over.

Mid-day had reported on September 2 that Pillai made the demand for maintenance while alleging that Paes had been an absentee father, leaving her to bear the expenses for their daughter.

She demanded a one-time payment of R42.37 lakh to pay her back for expenses already borne, as well as monthly payments of Rs 2.62 lakh to support her and her daughter.

The list of demands includes the purchase of a vehicle consistent with the standard of living their daughter is used to, such as Toyota Innova, Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda City or a similar car.

The petition had stated, "Paes failed to cater to any of her needs. It was only shortly before the filing of the custody petition that he suddenly realised his duty towards his daughter, and started making payments for her education. He started paying her school fees only from 2013, whereas she has been attending school since 2010, and all her expenses were borne by Pillai."

In her application, she had also cited text messages between her daughter and Paes to back her allegations that he had been a neglectful father who failed to provide financial or emotional support to their daughter.

In the courtroom

Paes was present in the court yesterday along with his father and former hockey champ Dr Vece Paes. Pillai sought exemption on the grounds that her mother was not well and had been hospitalised.

Paes' lawyer, who was scheduled to file a reply to the interim application during this hearing, told the court that the petition is not maintainable. He stated that there is a clear order from the SC to decide the entire case in six months.